Learn about basic greetings
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
Get a breakdown of the dialogue and translations instantly with the Premium line-by-line Audio. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.
| INTRODUCTION |
| ArabicPod101.com presents Arabic Survival Phrases. This course is designed to equip you with the language skills and knowledge to enable you to get the most out of your visit to Arabic speaking countries, with particular focus on Morocco. So join us for Arabic Survival phrases. You will be surprised at how far a little Arabic will go. |
| Now before we jump in, remember to stop by ArabicPod101.com, there you’ll find an accompanying PDF, additional learning tools in the premium learning center, and other great Arabic language learning materials. In addition, you’ll find more information in the post. And if you stop by, be sure to leave us a comment. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Today we'll cover basic greetings for the appropriate time of day. As there are quite a few to cover, let's jump right in. |
| If there is one expression that can be used as a universal greeting, in Arabic, the phrase al-ssalāmu ʿalaykum (السلام عليكم) can be used as a universal greeting. |
| al-ssalāmu ʿalaykum. |
| Let’s break it down by syllable: al-ssalāmu ʿalaykum. |
| Now let's hear it once again: al-ssalāmu ʿalaykum. |
| The first word al-ssalāmu (السلام) means “peace.” |
| Let's break down this word and hear it one more time: al-ssalāmu |
| al-ssalāmu |
| The second word ʿalaykum (عليكم) means “upon you.” |
| ʿalaykum. |
| ʿalaykum. |
| Put together, al-ssalāmu ʿalaykum literally means “peace be upon you”, and is used to say “hello”. |
| In Arabic, “Good morning” is ṣabaāḥu al-ḫayri. (صباح الخير). |
| ṣabaāḥu al-ḫayri. |
| Let’s break it down by syllable: ṣabaāḥu al-ḫayri. |
| Now let's hear it once again: ṣabaāḥu al-ḫayri. |
| The first word ṣabaāḥu (صباح) means “morning.” |
| Let's break down this word and hear it one more time: ṣabaāḥu |
| ṣabaāḥu |
| This is followed by al-ḫayri (الخير), which in Arabic is “good.” |
| al-ḫayri |
| al-ḫayri |
| When someone greets you with ṣabaāḥu al-ḫayri, meaning “good morning”, you can respond using the same expression, ṣabaāḥu al-ḫayri. That’s pretty simple, isn’t it? |
| In Arabic, there is no expression for “good afternoon”. You can use the expression we learned earlier, al-ssalāmu ʿalaykum, which means “hello”, or you can use the same expression used to say “good evening.” |
| In Arabic, the evening greeting is masaāʾu al-ḫayri (مساء الخير). |
| masaāʾu al-ḫayri. |
| Let’s break it down by syllable: masaāʾu al-ḫayri. |
| Now let's hear it once again: masaāʾu al-ḫayri. |
| The first word masaāʾu (مساء) means “evening” |
| Let's hear it one more time: masaāʾu |
| This is followed by al-ḫayri (الخير), which in Arabic is “good.” |
| al-ḫayri |
| al-ḫayri |
| When greeted with masaāʾu al-ḫayri, (good evening), respond by saying masaāʾu al-ḫayri (good evening) in return. |
| At the workplace, it is common to greet your colleagues and superiors with ṣabaāḥu al-ḫayri (good morning) or masaāʾu al-ḫayri (good evening) depending on the time of the day. |
| If you walk into a meeting, you can use the all-purpose al-ssalāmu ʿalaykum, which means “hello.” |
| Customers are usually greeted with marḥaban (مرحبا) |
| Let’s break it down by syllable: marḥaban |
| Now let's hear it once again: marḥaban |
| When in Morocco, you’re going to hear al-ssalāmu ʿalaykum many many times, so you want to know how to respond to that. You say ʿalaykum al-ssalām (عليكم السلام), which also literally means “peace be upon you”, but in a slightly different form. Use it at all times as a response when greeted. You’ll come across as polite and likable. |
| Now let's hear it again: ʿalaykum al-ssalām |
| ʿalaykum al-ssalām |
| al-ssalāmu ʿalaykum. |
| alaykum al-ssalām. |
Outro |
| Okay, to close out today's lesson, we'd like for you to practice what you've just learned. I'll provide you with the English equivalent of the phrase and you're responsible for saying it aloud. You'll have a few seconds before I give you the answer, so حظ سعيد, that means "good luck" in Arabic. |
| Ok, here we go! |
| “Hello.” - al-ssalāmu ʿalaykum. |
| al-ssalāmu ʿalaykum. |
| al-ssalāmu ʿalaykum. |
| “Good morning.” - ṣabaāḥu al-ḫayri. |
| ṣabaāḥu al-ḫayri. |
| ṣabaāḥu al-ḫayri. |
| “Good evening.” - masaāʾu al-ḫayri. |
| masaāʾu al-ḫayri. |
| masaāʾu al-ḫayri. |
| “Welcome” - marḥaban |
| marḥaban |
| marḥaban |
| All right. This is going to do it for this lesson of Arabic Survival Phrases. Remember to stop by ArabicPod101.com. There you’ll find an accompanying PDF, additional learning tools in the premium learning center, and other great Arabic language learning materials. See you soon, which in Arabic is - ilā al-liqāʾ. |
Comments
HideA Sudanese peanut farmer, a Lebanese bread maker, an Egyptian housewife, or an Iraqi businessman...Who are you going to say السلام عليكم to today?
Hi Peter,
Great to know that you're enjoying our website!
Please stay tuned! Every week we'll have new lessons for you!
Sincerely,
Cristiane
Team ArabicPod101.com
....I am finding this lesson portal very useful...today's lesson blessed me...thanks
Hi Abdul,
Thank you for your positive feedback.
Let us know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Cristiane
Team ArabicPod101.com
It's so useful and of great learning tool
May Allaha bless you
Hi Enock,
Thank you for your feedback. We fixed it!
Nora
Team ArabicPod101.com
please take a look again at the grammar, you have exchanged good morning for good evening in some places. SabaaH for masaa'
Hi Sartaj KhaLil,
Thank you for your positive feedback!
Let us know if you have any questions.
Cristiane
Team ArabicPod101.com
excellen...!!!!!!!
Hi Student,
Hi Muslim,
Thank you for your great comments! Indeed I have many non-muslim friends who greet me saying "as-salamu 'alaikum" or answer saying "wa alaikum as-salam" in Egypt. And just like you said, it is very simple and there is no need to read too much into it.
Shukran!
Nora
Team ArabicPod101.com
Hi Simon,
Shukran!:smile:
Nora
Team ArabicPod101.com
excellent resource
Assalamo Alikum is a widely accepted and practiced greetings among muslims of various regions with different accents....
You can say Assalamo Alikyum to any Muslims...farner, gardener, poloceman, shopkeeper, Army general, teacher, any professional etc etc....no distinction for age, gender , profession or social status.
If any Non Muslim says Assalamo Alikum to a Muslim just replied WALIKUM...means "SAME AS FOR YOU"....simple.
regards
Student
Sean... There are sayings from the prophet in Islam about being greeted by non-muslims... There is one story where the prophets wife was greeted with a greeting that is similar "as-sAm-u-'alaikum" which in fact means 'poison death unto you'....she got angry and continued saying 'unto you (alaikum) unto you, unto you" and he corrected her, when a non-muslim greets the response should only be 'wa alaikum'.... of course they shouldn't be angry with you... however, a lack of knowledge of the whole story, or just rudeness, may be the reason...
:razz:Hello, Adrien.
I'm Jay Lee from ArabicPod101.com
We're glad to hear that you like those lessons. Thank you!
Survival phrases lesson will be on basic simple communication. You'll get more vocabularies that you need for different situations. If you'd like to know more, please check Beginner series on Audio lessons. You'll be able to learn more pronunciation and grammars on Arabic with this series.
I hope this helps.
Also, please ask us if you have any questions about Arabic : ) Our Team will be always happy to help you.
Thank you.
- Jay Lee / ArabicPod101.com
I have just started this lesson on my phone, I really like the course and the flexibility of it. Very clear vocals and I am excited to expend my learning. However, how far does these lessons go? Will it literally teach us how to speak Arabic or just the basic greetings and basic simple communications?
I've always wanted to learn Arabic since I lived in one country for 3 years. I never turned my back on any of their lifestyle or culture since. When the time permits, I will definitely take some classes for Arabic, and this application you have offered will definitely give me a heads up.
Thanks again, and hope to hear form yous soon
Marhabah waa saalaamu Alekum,
Apprently, the "real" story behind the grreting of:
"saalaamu Alekum" has eluded some here.
Here it is:
When greeting a person (invariably, in the masculine plural, in this case)-he is greeted as a spirit (an angel). So, the greeting is never in the singular (such as: saalaamu a-lek but arther saalaamu a-lekUM)-as, the welcoming greeting is extended to the person & the spirit angels who accompany him (a person is siad to always be accompanied by them)! That's the traditional version/explanation.
Thank you (Shukran Ilkum) for the opportunity
Dears,
It is very much helpful. Gained a lot.
petiteclaire,
SabaaH an-nuur is a very Classical response. What I mean is that cartoons (often written in Standard Arabic) will definitely say SabaaH an-nuur. When someone greets you with SabaaH al-[u]kh[/u]ayr, you have the option of responding with SabaaH al-[u]kh[/u]ayr or SabaaH an-nuur. Both sound perfectly natural and are common in most regions (according to May and Danya). In Morocco, however, both phrases still sound natural and are used, but responding with al-[u]kh[/u]ayr is far more common (according to Mounia).
Thank you Sean for sharing your concern. I have to say I'm equally surprised that some people take offense at this greeting because it's a message of peace. I could only attempt to explain, and in no means justify, the negative reactions you were sometimes confronted with. 'As-salaam' means 'peace' as you already know and 'alaykum' means 'upon you all' and it refers not only to the people you're greeting but to all Muslims as a community or a 'umma' in Arabic. The concept of 'umma' is all-encompassing and designates Muslims as a religious nation.
Likewise, in the response to the above greeting, 'wa alaykum s-salaam' (and peace be upon you all), 'alaykum' implies 'you all' as a religious nation. So I would think that some pious Muslims take the expression too literally, though most people in the Arab world think of it as a universal greeting regardless of its religious implications.
Hope this helps Sean. We appreciate a lot your efforts to speak Arabic. Drop us a line if you've got any more questions.
I'm confused... In Beginner Lesson 1, SabaaH an-nuur and masaa' an-nuur were introduced in response to SabaaH al-khayr and masaa' al-khayr. Is there a difference ( politeness, regional usage, etc...) ?